Wednesday

Week 24 of Year 2 "Cleansing the Temple"

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For adult study: "Cleansing the Temple"

The story summary and questions were written in a way that makes it possible to use a New Testament reference in place of the Urantia reference. A selected chapter from a 1932 book, titled Treasure-House of the Living Religions, supports a spiritual theme that is found within the story. Children will use a one page handout that includes a coloring picture.

Paper 173:1
The Urantia Book
My house shall be called a house of prayer

Students may read Paper 173:1.5-8 or entire section

During Jesus’ final week of life, he went to the courtyard of the Jerusalem temple. The courtyard was filled with animals for sale and tables of money-changers. Jesus had seen this before, but this time he became filled with righteous indignation. And he took action. Before long, all evidence of buying and selling was gone. Then, Jesus quoted from the scriptures, saying, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations, but you have made it a den of robbers.” 

Discussion Questions 

The temple was supposed to be a beautiful and holy place. Why was it allowed to  become the opposite of beauty and holiness? As we think about this story, we should remember that each of us is a temple of God. How can that be?


Procedure for using the PDF handouts with children

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Additional reading:

Read what Jesus declared on the brow of Olivet when he was twelve years old.

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Re: Holiness

2:5.3 ... God’s love is by nature a fatherly affection; therefore does he sometimes “chasten us for our own profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.” ...

101:1.3 ... But the mind that really discerns God, hears the indwelling Adjuster, is the pure mind. “Without holiness no man may see the Lord.” ...

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New Testament reference

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Chapter 24—Purity—p.125

He adopts, and trains himself in, the precepts.
He encompasses himself with holiness in word and deed.
He sustains his life by means that are pure.  (Buddhism)


Do Thou Thyself, O Gracious Lord, enter into me!
I am cleansed in Thee, O Lord, gracious a thousandfold!  (Hinduism)


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